[Absence of a relationship between surgical volume and mortality in cardiac surgery units in Spain].

Introduction And Objectives: The relationship between the annual number of cardiac procedures at a particular center (i.e., volume) and surgical outcome is controversial.

Synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of new derivatives of the marine alkaloid variolin B.

The marine alkaloid variolin B 2 and eight synthetic derivatives with different substituents at positions C-5 and C-7 have been tested in a panel of sixteen human tumor cell lines to evaluate their cytotoxic potential.

Carbodiimide-mediated preparation of the tricyclic pyrido[3',2':4,5]pyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine ring system and its application to the synthesis of the potent antitumoral marine alkaloid variolin B and analog.

A total synthesis of the marine alkaloid variolin B has been completed in 13 steps in an overall yield of 6.5% from 3-formyl-4-methoxypyridine. Our approach is based on the sequential formation of the 7-azaindole ring, the tricyclic pyrido[3',2':4,5]pyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine ring system, and finally installation of the 2-aminopyrimidine ring at C5.

[Pulsating thoracic mass as a main symptom of gigantic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta].

The pseudoaneurysms of the ascending aorta are very infrequent but their diagnosis is important because of the associated high mortality. They usually appear in patients who have undergone aortic-related surgery, but the time that passes until they appear can be very prolonged and suspicious signs and symptoms can be quite anodyne. We present two cases of pseudoaneurysms of ascending aorta in two patients who underwent cardiovascular operations several months before, which were of such a considerable size that the first and practically the only symptoms were the sudden appearance of a pulsating thoracic mass because of pseudoaneurysm compression at this site.

Early open mitral commissurotomy: long-term results.

It has frequently been suggested that early mitral commissurotomy could improve long-term results in patients with severe mitral stenosis. However, the real advantages of this procedure have yet to be demonstrated. To evaluate this hypothesis, we retrospectively studied 397 patients who underwent operation for mitral stenosis in our unit between 1978 and 1988.